Rotary needle holder for phonograph



July 23, 1929. '7 E. M. HEWSON, SR 1,723,781

ROTARY NEEDLE HOLDER FOR PHONOGRAPHS Filed Jan. 5, 1928 VIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII)vllll.

gnuamtoz Edward M: .Hw-sfaw, r.

a abbot/W013! Patented July 23, 1929.

Uhll'lllfi STAYES EDWARD M. HEWSGN, $3., 0F MECHANICVILLE, NEW YORK.

RGTi XIRY NEEDLE EOLDER FOR E'HOBTOGRAPH.

Application filed January 5, 1828. Serial No. 244,745.

In sound reproducing machines the needle traversing the sound groove of the record is usually held stationary and in consequence the point is worn away and fiattened, thereby 1mpairin the tone, producing a scratching and shortening the life of the record and needle.

The present invention provides means for imparting a rotary movement to the needle and causing a uniform wear thereof which preserves the point and prevents the flattening thereof, thus reducing scratching and prolonging the life of the record and the period of service of the needle.

The invention contemplates a needle arm having a needle receiving part connected thereto by a swivel joint and rotatable by movement derived from the record, preferably through gearing and a driver having a soft peripheral edge to travel upon the record. While the drawing illustrates a preferred embodiment of the invention, it is to be understood that in adapting the means to meet specific needs and requirements, the design may be varied and other changes in the minor details of construction may be resorted to within the scope of the invention as claimed, without departing from the spirit thereof.

For a full understanding of the invention and the merits thereof, reference is to be had to the following description and the drawing hereto attached, in which,

Figure 1 is a side view of a phonograph sound box illustrating an embodiment of the invention.

Figure 2 is a front view of the parts shown in Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a detail sectional view on the line 3-3 of Figure 1, looking in the direction of the arrows.

Figure 4 is an enlarged, detail view, partly in section.

Corresponding and like parts are referred to in the following description and designated in the several views of the drawing by like reference characters.

The numeral 1 denotes a sound box, such as usually provided for phonograph machines. The numeral 2 designates the usual tone arm to which the sound box is fitted. In accordance with the present invention the needle arm comprises sections 3 and 4, the section 3 being attached at one end to the diaphragm of the sound box in any determinate way. The section 4 is adapted to receive the needle 5 which is retained in place in any usual or preferred way. In the embodiment illustrated a mount 6 is provided for the needle arm and consists of a plate having oppositely disposed resilient portions 7 which are attached to lugs 8 of the box or frame 1 by means of screws 9. The mount or plate 6 is formed with a boss 10 in which the section 4 is mounted.v A gear wheel 11 is fast to the section 4 and engages the lower end of the boss 10 to limit the movement of the section 4 in one direction. he end of the section 4 projecting beyond the boss 10 is upset or riveted to limit the movement of the section 4 in the opposite direction. In this manner a swivel connection is provided between the section 4 and the mount 6. The section 8 is fast to the mount 6 and may be jointed thereto in any manner to provide a rigid connection. The mount 6 usually consists of a plate of spring metal, and the extensions 7 thereof admit of the mount moving in con s-onance with the oscillations of the needle arm incident totransmission of the sound vibrations from the record to the diaphragm of the sound box.

I A shaft 12 is mounted in an arm 13 projecting from the sound box 1. A worm 14 retatable with the shaft 12 is in mesh with the teeth of the gear wheel 11 and is adapted to impart a rotary movement to said gear wheel and the needle 5 coupled thereto. A drive wheello is carried by the shaft 12 between clamping disks 15 and 'is preferably formed of rubber, or other suitable material, which will not mar the record, but at the same time insure frictional contact therewith for retation of the driver.

hen the parts are assembled they appear substantially as shown in the accompanying drawings, the needle arm inclining to the vertical and the point of the needle 5 and the low- I the invention, I

1. The combination with a phonograph sound box, and a spring mount thereon, of a I member between the said spring mount and vthe diaphragm, a needle carrier journaled to the mount, a shaft mounted on the sound box and geared to the needle carrier, and a driver fast to the shaft and adapted to derive movement from the record.

3. The combination with a phonograph sound box, a mount connected at its ends to the sound box and yieldable between its ends, of a member between the medial portion of themount and the diaphragm, a needle car-- rier journaled centrally to the mount, a shaft mounted transversely of the sound box and geared at its inner end to the needle carrier, and a driver fast to the shaft and adapted to derive movement from the record.

4. The combination with a phonograph sound box, provided with spaced lugs, and a spring plate secured at its ends to the said lugs, and provided intermediate its ends with a boss, a needle carrier journaled in the boss, a member connecting the middle portion of the spring plate with the diaphragm, and means for imparting a rotary movement to the needle carrier.

5. The combination with a phonograph sound box provided with spaced lugs, and a spring plate secured at its ends to the said lugs, and provided intermediate its ends with a boss, a needle carrier journaled in the boss, a member connecting the middle portion of the spring plate with the diaphragm, a gear wheel rotatable with the needle carrier, a shaft mounted on the sound box, a gear element at the inner end. of the shaft in mesh with the said gear wheel, and a soft tread drive wheel fast to the outer end of the said shaft and adapted to drive movement from the record.

In testimony whereof I atfix my signature.

EDWARD M. HEWSON, SR. 11.8. 

